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This handout picture taken on May 24, 2018 and released by Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) on June 1, 2018 in Bangkok, shows packages of durian (R) and rice grains in a box, which is being prepared to send into orbit. Thailand plans to shoot durian into orbit to test its durability in a project that could see the staple 'king of fruits' consumed in zero gravity conditions. (GISTDA/AFP/-)

It's one small step for Thailand, one giant leap for Southeast Asia's smelliest fruit.

Thailand plans to shoot durian into orbit to test its durability in a project that could see the staple "king of fruits" consumed in zero-gravity conditions.

"In the future we want astronauts to be able to eat Thai food," said a spokesperson for Thailand's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).

"We want to see whether there are any physical changes after it returns to earth, for example it might get smaller, or cracked."

The sticky snack is eaten across the region and is both famous for its popularity and infamous for its pungent smell, prompting bans on durians in hotel rooms, elevators and airplane cabins.

The fruit's reputation raises questions about how it will be received inside such close confines as a spaceship.